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Cobh - Cork - Westbourne

circa 1910

Cobh is located on the south shore of the Great Island in Cork Harbour, (reputed to be the second largest natural harbourthe world), on slopes overlooking the harbour. On its highest point stands the Cobh Cathedral, St.Colman's, seat of the diocese of Cloyne.

Specification

Cobh

Cobh (Irish: An Cóbh, pronounced 'cove'; derived from English the cove) is a seaport on the south coast of Ireland, in County Cork, Republic of Ireland.

The locality, which had had several different Irish-language names, was first referred to as Cove ('the Cove of Cork') in 1750. It was renamed Queenstown in 1849 to commemorate a visit by Queen Victoria and so remained until the name Cobh (closer to the Irish spelling) was restored in 1922 with the foundation of the Irish Free State.

Cobh is located on the south shore of the Great Island in Cork Harbour, (reputed to be the second largest natural harbourthe world), on slopes overlooking the harbour. On its highest point stands the Cobh Cathedral, St.Colman's, seat of the diocese of Cloyne.

History of Cobh port

One of the major transatlantic Irish ports, Cobh was the departure point for 2.5million of the six million Irish people who emigrated to North America between 1848 and 1950. On 11 April 1912 Queenstown was the final port of call for the RMS Titanic as she set out across the Atlantic on her ill-fated maiden voyage. Local lore has it that a Titanic crew member John Coffey, a native of Queenstown, jumped ship although there is no record of him on the crew list. Seven lucky passengers also disembarked, although 113boarded, many of whom drowned.

Several other notable ships are associated with the town:

The first steamship to sail from Ireland to England left Cobh in 1821

The RMS Lusitania was sunk by a German U-Boat off the Old Head of Kinsale while en route to Liverpool in on May 7, 1915. The survivors were brought to the town of Cobh, and over one hundred lie buried in the Old Church Cemetery about a mile north of the town.

During World War I, Queenstown was a naval base for British and American destroyers operating against U-boats that preyed upon merchant vessels in the area. The first division of American destroyers arrived in May 1917, and the sailors who served on those vessels were the first American servicemen in combat duty in the war. When the convoy arrived in port, after a rough passage in what were little more than open boats, they were met with a great crowd of sailors and townspeople, thankful for help in stopping the U-boats that threatened to starve the British out of the war. The impatient British Commodore met the captain of the American flagship when he jumped onto the dock, and asked him how soon the weather-beaten American ships could be put to use. 'We're ready now, sir!' he answered, and was widely quoted. Under the terms of the Anglo-Irish Treaty 1921 the port remained a UK sovereign base, see Treaty Port. Along with the other Treaty ports it was handed over to the government of the Irish Free State in 1938.

Demographics

The population of the Cobh area has increased greatly in recent times with large new housing estates on the outskirts of the town, especially around Rushbrooke. The town boundary has not reflected these changes. According to the 2006 Census, the combined population of Cobh and Great Island was12,887. The former farmlands of Cobh have been extensively developed in recent years, with a large amount of housing estates being built in areas such as Rushbrooke and Carrignafoy. Cobh is gradually becoming a satellite town to the nearby Cork City.

Economy

The former British naval station at Haulbowline Island which faces Cobh town remains the headquarters of the Irish Naval Service.

Transport & communications

The town is the effective southern terminus of the railway line from Dublin to Cork. Regular commuter services run between Cork city and Cobh, calling at, amongst others, Fota railway station,Carrigaloe railway station and Rushbrooke railway station, along the way, the line ends at Cobh railway station.

Nearest airport Cork International Airport

Cobh today

Leisure and commercial activities have improved in recent years, with new Supermarkets and Shopping Centres being built, and the re-development of the derelict Cobh Leisure Centre and the Plateau Youth Centre.

People

Famous Cobh people include the boxer Jack Doyle

Dr. James Roche Verling who was personal physician to Napoleon Bonaparte during his exile in St. Helena

Captain Thomas Brierley who was awarded a medal for outstanding gallantry for his heroic part in the rescue of Lusitania victims.

Sport

Cobh's most successful football team is Cobh Ramblers, the club where Roy Keane (one of Ireland's most successful footballers) made his name and earned a transfer to English side Nottingham Forest, as well as were current Irish international footballer and Manchester City midfielder Stephen Ireland started his career.

Cobh is also home to Ireland's most successful athlete Sonia O'Sullivan, an Olympic Games Silver Medal-winning athlete.